


Before and After

by ivarara



Series: other hk writing [7]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: gift for a secret santa!!! this was real fun to write!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:54:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21940771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivarara/pseuds/ivarara
Summary: Artemis has been through a lot.
Series: other hk writing [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558498
Kudos: 4





	Before and After

**Author's Note:**

> yeah!! this was a secret santa gift for a friend on the discord server!!! i really like how it turned out and hope they like it too!!

Before Athena, their life had been turmoil.

Lost. Afraid. Angry. Enraged. Alone.

But when Athena arrived, that all changed.

⁂

Before, Artemis was lost.

Wandering Hallownest with no real sense of direction after waking up in the Abyss. 

They didn’t know where to go. There was no destination. Just questions seeking answers that would not be easily given. 

Artemis was savage in battle, no matter the opponent. Infected Husks and creatures alike fell to their bow and arrows. It was all they knew: simply kill or be killed.

Then Athena arrived. Artemis had fought them at first, obviously. _A worthy opponent, finally!_ But Athena had proven they were no amateur with their spear-like nail, not falling to Artemis’ quick and ferocious attacks. Instead, Athena stayed calm and collected, assessing the situation by the second and coming up with a strategy.

After defeat, they stood tersely and faced Artemis, but did not strike a final blow.

They extended an inky-black hand from beneath their cloak. 

They offered to help the other vessel back to their feet.

Artemis took their hand carefully, warily. But Athena made no sudden movements; no intentions to harm, only to help.

And Artemis felt found by someone, for once.

⁂

Before, Artemis was afraid.

Waking up alone had been terrifying in itself. Looking around to see the corpses of countless other siblings had been distressing. Deep in a hellish pit, with no discernable way out. 

Alone, but surrounded by others.

Alive, but surrounded by the dead and lost.

Once they had made their way out, Artemis sought comfort. Someone, something, to latch on to with hope and love and to not be fearful anymore; they wouldn’t have to be.

Athena was that someone. Athena was kind and caring, showed Artemis love and support and understanding. 

Athena provided Artemis comfort and support readily. Athena proved there was still good in the world. 

And Artemis felt hope, for once.

⁂

Before, Artemis was angry.

Why did this happen? Why could He have allowed it? To happen to them, to happen to countless other siblings? 

Why were they seen as imperfect the way they were?

They jab an arrow into the bench they’re sitting on angrily. The arrow creaks slightly, but does not break, for it is a sturdy one they had crafted themself. 

Imperfect. Unhollow. Unholy. Unwanted.

Why? _Why?_

Athena walks over calmly, offering food. Artemis stares at it blankly for a moment before responding. They sit down next to Artemis, careful to avoid snagging their cloak on the arrow pierced into the bench. Without a thought, Artemis rips it back out with the same strength that had been used to pierce it in. Athena scoots up onto the bench beside them, smiles, and turns to the food.

The world itself may be harsh and cruel, but those within it are still embers of goodness.

And Artemis felt calm, for once.

⁂

Before, Artemis was enraged.

Their siblings were not simply pawns to be discarded when past their use. Artemis was not either. Yet, they were treated as such, tossed away when proven to be unworthy to the cause. Thrown out, cast away, forgotten like they had never existed, like they had never been children, or soldiers, or workers before.

But some had crawled out. Some had clawed their way to the surface of the makeshift hell. They had survived, they had succeeded, they had denied the fate assigned to them.

Artemis seethes. They shoot another arrow into the King’s Brand etched into the stone. The arrow sinks into the worn stone with a soft tnk!, remaining firmly embedded. 

They notch another arrow. For someone seen as so holy, so highly regarded, His sins highly outnumbered His savings. 

How many knew of what He was doing? How many were aware of what was happening behind closed doors?

How many cared?

The second arrow hits adjacent to the first. Athena looks up from their map to gaze at Artemis calmly. Instantly, Artemis feels the anger dissipate. The older sibling had that effect, draining any negative emotions out of Artemis’ body with a kind look or gesture. 

Athena stands, folding the map and tucking it away carefully. They walk over and silently pull the arrows from the mottled stone, ignoring the brand beneath and what it beheld.

A mark of regret. A mark of regress. A mark of failures, each and every one of them.

Athena hands the arrows to Artemis. Artemis takes them carefully, inspecting the tips for damage. 

Athena rests a hand on Artemis’ shoulder. You are not the product of your creation. You are living, and breathing, and fighting just as fiercely. He would be afraid of the warrior made out of you.

And Artemis felt at ease, for once. 

⁂

Before, Artemis was alone.

Surrounded by the vast kingdom of Hallownest, but completely alone.

They had siblings, sure. But half were still dead in the Abyss; the others had escaped and migrated away.

So, here was Artemis, alone.

That is, until Athena arrived. With Athena came companionship, care, the absence of loneliness.

With Athena came love, care, tenderness Artemis never thought they would experience again in their life.

Athena provided it all gladly.

When Artemis felt alone, Athena sat next to them and wrapped an arm around their shoulder. 

When Artemis felt unloved, Athena reminded them that they were quite the opposite. They smothered them in affection, physical and intangible. 

When Artemis felt the sinking weight of the world on their shoulders, Athena lifted the burden with their own hands and helped carry it.

When Artemis felt anything, Athena was there to love and care for them.

And Artemis felt noticed, for once.

⁂

Before, Athena didn’t know how much they had done. 

Athena had done so much for Artemis, whether they were aware of it or not. They had become a beacon of solidarity, of comfort, of stability. 

Artemis needed stability, needed a hand to help guide them through their rowdy, reckless, savage behavior. Athena was that hand, gladly, without question. From the first day they had met, Athena knew Artemis needed them in their life. 

So Athena stayed.

And now, as Artemis curls up against them, asleep and content, Athena feels it all, not for the first time.


End file.
